FT: CARDIFF CITY 1 - 1 SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY. Match thread

<p>Cardiff boss Neil Warnock could freshen up his side for Sheffield Wednesday's visit in the Sky Bet Championship.</p>
<p>Warnock shouldered the blame for Cardiff's first league defeat of the season at Preston in midweek after saying he decided against making changes. Danny Ward, Lee Tomlin and deadline-day signings Liam Feeney and Craig Bryson are those under consideration.</p>
<p>Callum Paterson will build up his fitness in an under-23 game against Burnley on Monday, the summer arrival from Hearts having yet to make his debut following knee surgery.</p>
<div class="article__widge-container" style="text-align: center;">&nbsp;<img title="C:WindowsTempphpF3A5.tmp" src="http://pictures.footymad.net/upload/120/911484-1.jpg" alt="C:WindowsTempphpF3A5.tmp" width="421" height="282" /></div>
<p>Wednesday quartet Steven Fletcher, Ross Wallace, Barry Bannan and Kieran Lee are all hoping to be fit. Head coach Carlos Carvalhal said all four "have a little something" to recover from following the midweek home win against Brentford.</p>
<p>Midfielder Sam Hutchinson (knee) and defender Glenn Loovens (hip) are still out, but hope to return to full training next week. Forward Fernando Forestieri and midfielder George Boyd will both be sidelined for several weeks after recent knee and shoulder operations respectively.</p>
<p><strong>Opta stats</strong></p>
<p>Cardiff haven't lost a home league game against Sheffield Wednesday since April 2007, winning five and drawing two games since that defeat.</p>
<p>The Owls are without a clean sheet in nine league visits to Cardiff - Martin Hodge was the last goalkeeper to record a shutout in a 2-0 win in May 1984.</p>
<p>Neil Warnock hasn't lost a home match against Sheffield Wednesday since March 1991, when he was in charge of Notts County and lost 2-0 at Meadow Lane to an Owls side managed by Ron Atkinson; in all competitions since, he has remained unbeaten in 11 games (W5 D6).</p>
<p>Gary Hooper has scored in his last three league matches for Sheffield Wednesday, netting three goals; he hasn't scored in four consecutive Football League matches since February 2008 when he played for Hereford United.</p>
<p>Cardiff have won more points (5) from goals in the last 15 minutes of Championship games this season than any other side in the division.</p>
<p><strong>Match officials:</strong></p>
<p>Referee: Lee Probert
Assistants: Andy Garratt and Mark Scholes
Fourth official: Charles Breakspear.</p>

Yet another tough game against an in form team. Warnock will make changes, he has too, so will Sheff. Difference is hopefully we have stronger replacements. Fingers crossed can see a draw here.

Only the one change. Bryson for Damour. That's really surprised me.

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Originally Posted by Barry Shitpeas

Only the one change. Bryson for Damour. That's really surprised me.

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Perhaps giving the (mostly) same group of players a chance to put Tuesday right.

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Originally Posted by Baloo

Perhaps giving the (mostly) same group of players a chance to put Tuesday right.

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That's exactly what I was thinking.

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Originally Posted by elytillidie

That's exactly what I was thinking.

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Has to be.

If it works out, then he will have done the right thing.
If it doesn't, then he has engineered himself a free-hand to make whatever bold changes he may feel the need to .

Not much quality on display. A lot of head tennis. Like watching Division 4 teams.

What a rubbish free kick. Wasted.

Zohore looks like he can't be botherd

We're always better in the second half..... aren't we?

Unless it's away at Preston of course.

How many wheels have come off the CCFC bus?

We look EXACTLY the same as we did on Tuesday. Why on earth weren't multiple changes made? Why isn't Etheridge making simple stops like that one should have been? Gary Hooper almost looked surprised he scored it because it really should have been saved.

2nd best at the moment. The goal was coming

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Originally Posted by jon1959

We're always better in the second half..... aren't we?

Unless it's away at Preston of course.

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:hehe:
Loads of time left :ayatollah:

We look awful. What's happened?

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Originally Posted by NYCBlue

We look awful. What's happened?

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Agree. We look like a totally different team. Changes need to and should have been made, if not Tuesday, definitely today.

No spark. No press. If we think we can beat teams like this strolling around waiting for them to give us the ball back we're going to struggle.

On the plus side I think Bryson has looked neat and tidy.

Gunnar son started terribly. No energy. Slight improvement towards the end of second half. Damour and ward to come on for me.

Wednesday are playing just like we were before the international break. Pressing high up the field and not giving City players any time. We need more composure in midfield, maybe Tomlin?

not good rubbish laxluster

chipspie

Even NML is looking one dimensional - Wednesday coping easily with him

Pathetic performance by Zohore today. Seems he's believing his own hype and no longer putting the effort in.

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Originally Posted by Baloo

No spark. No press. If we think we can beat teams like this strolling around waiting for them to give us the ball back we're going to struggle.

On the plus side I think Bryson has looked neat and tidy.

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I think he looks sloppy. They all do.

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Originally Posted by tomm

Pathetic performance by Zohore today. Seems he's believing his own hype and no longer putting the effort in.

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That's harsh. Thought he put a shift in. Isolated up front.

YES!! :ayatollah:

Smash n Grab :hehe:

makes a change to get a late goal, sounds like we deserved it on second half performance :ayatollah:

We were a bit better second half, but we didn't really deserve a point. On we march.

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Originally Posted by Spooky Tree

We were a bit better second half, but we didn't really deserve a point. On we march.

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I agree.

Better second-half but no real zip. We looked like we could terrify teams on the break for the first few games, little evidence of that today. Still a point keeps us up there.

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Originally Posted by Fine Lines

That's harsh. Thought he put a shift in. Isolated up front.

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He's been a passenger in the last three. Needs a spell on the bench to remind him he's not the finished article yet.

Otherwise thought we were much improved in the second half. Biggest problem was our final ball. Think Tomlin would have helped with that had he come on earlier.
Not impressed with Feeney though. One cross against Fulham aside, he just runs down blind alleys and the majority of his crosses are very poor.

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Originally Posted by tomm

He's been a passenger in the last three. Needs a spell on the bench to remind him he's not the finished article yet.

Otherwise thought we were much improved in the second half. Biggest problem was our final ball. Think Tomlin would have helped with that had he come on earlier.
Not impressed with Feeney though. One cross against Fulham aside, he just runs down blind alleys and the majority of his crosses are very poor.

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Not sure putting our only proper striker on the bench is the best way to go.

Agreed though, complete contrast to before the transfer window.

The stats say we had twice as many shots (16 to 8) and 8 shots on target compared to their 2.

So stick that up your jacksies.

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Originally Posted by WJ99mobile

Not sure putting our only proper striker on the bench is the best way to go.

Agreed though, complete contrast to before the transfer window.

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maybe that is just it. Now the window is closed no need to play.

He looked knackered after about 60 minutes. I thought Warnock should have brought Ward and Tomlin on earlier.

Nathan Blake made a good pint about how Bannan was running the show for them, and how our midfield were caught in 2 mind between closing down and standing off. He suggested Zohore should have dropped onto Bannan, thus restricting his distribution, and our midfield 3 to pick up runners. Seems to make sense to me, Gunnars was useless first half, so lethargic, just marking space, and not really doing anything. He's a much better player when he presses the opposition.

I thought as a team, when we had the ball were so static, no one moves when we have possession, more pass and freeze than pass and move. Bryson was the only one moving and making runs.

Also Zohore was very isolated, I thought he put a decent shift in, however with no support (due to our midfield being over run, and our wingers having to track back to help out the full backs) it was a tough ask. Maybe Tomlin is the answer, get him on the ball, someone who can pass and make themselves available in an advanced position. Allowing Ralls and Gunners to sit deep. The question is do we need 2 sitting deep at home ?

As for Warnock, well considering he has said our bench is so strong, I'm amazed it took till the 82nd minute to bring on Ward and Tomlin, we were crying out for a change of tactics and personnel by then.

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Originally Posted by Fine Lines

Nathan Blake made a good pint about how Bannan was running the show for them, and how our midfield were caught in 2 mind between closing down and standing off. He suggested Zohore should have dropped onto Bannan, thus restricting his distribution, and our midfield 3 to pick up runners. Seems to make sense to me, Gunnars was useless first half, so lethargic, just marking space, and not really doing anything. He's a much better player when he presses the opposition.

I thought as a team, when we had the ball were so static, no one moves when we have possession, more pass and freeze than pass and move. Bryson was the only one moving and making runs.

Also Zohore was very isolated, I thought he put a decent shift in, however with no support (due to our midfield being over run, and our wingers having to track back to help out the full backs) it was a tough ask. Maybe Tomlin is the answer, get him on the ball, someone who can pass and make themselves available in an advanced position. Allowing Ralls and Gunners to sit deep. The question is do we need 2 sitting deep at home ?

As for Warnock, well considering he has said our bench is so strong, I'm amazed it took till the 82nd minute to bring on Ward and Tomlin, we were crying out for a change of tactics and personnel by then.

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Agree about the movement. We've lost that early season high energy. It could partly be confidence. But Neil needs to rotate more. Today felt like a bit of a hangover from Preston and the manager should take some of the blame. Ralls, Gunnar and the front three can't be expected to play every game of the season and deliver optimum levels.

Don't agree with Blake the Bannan was running the show. Wednesday were rubbish really. Ultra conservative. They do have quality in their team with you could see in flashes. We're at our best when we counter so maybe Neil doesn't want the high press all the time?

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Originally Posted by Colonel Cærdiffi

The stats say we had twice as many shots (16 to 8) and 8 shots on target compared to their 2.

So stick that up your jacksies.

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2nd half we created lots of chances. They didn't create so many but for the first half looked in total control.

They passed it all over the place when a Ben Turner style diagonal ball might have been an option sometimes.

Second half we could have scored three in opening 5 mins and overall, even though the sucker punch was quite likely, we took the game to them and they thought they could see it out but not today.

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Originally Posted by Blue in the Face

Agree about the movement. We've lost that early season high energy. It could partly be confidence. But Neil needs to rotate more. Today felt like a bit of a hangover from Preston and the manager should take some of the blame. Ralls, Gunnar and the front three can't be expected to play every game of the season and deliver optimum levels.

Don't agree with Blake the Bannan was running the show. Wednesday were rubbish really. Ultra conservative. They do have quality in their team with you could see in flashes. We're at our best when we counter so maybe Neil doesn't want the high press all the time?

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Bannan was MOM - he ran the show for the Owls.

Their goal was conceded due to Bamba having to go wide to cover the useless Peltier who was being dragged all over the place due to man marking Reach.Due to Bamba being dragged out we were light in the box and Hooper had virtually a free header.

Why on earth Peltier had been detailed to man mark Reach was beyond me and it caused us all sorts of problems. We had no answer in combating Bannan and we were mystified as to why they decided to take him off.Did that cost them our equaliser?

Shocking defending from Wednesday for our equaliser.